20 receive ‘IVD Bangladesh Volunteer Award 2021’

UNB: To mark International Volunteer Day (IVD) 2021, the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives, UNV Bangladesh, UNFPA, VSO, and WaterAid jointly organised an event titled ‘Volunteering Contributions towards Community Development in Bangladesh’ on Sunday in the capital’s Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel, says a press release.

This year’s IVD theme is “Volunteer now for our common future.”

A total of 20 volunteers have received the ‘IVD Bangladesh Volunteer Award 2021,’ who played a significant role in community development. This year, for the first time, UNV Bangladesh has honoured 20 Champion UN Volunteers in the country together with UNDP and the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives. United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme turns 50 this year which is a unique common service to the UN system and beyond. The UN Volunteer Country Award recognised and celebrated UN Volunteers’ contributions to the UN agencies and the govrenment.

Md Tazul Islam, Minister, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives, graced the event as the chief guest while Tuomo Poutiainen, UN Resident Coordinator, Bangladesh, Ms Shalina Miah, Regional Manager, UNV Asia and the Pacific (virtually) and Md Akhter Hossain, senior secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports were present as special guests.

Md. Aktar Uddin, country voordinator, UNV Bangladesh, Dr. Eiko Narita Representative, UNFPA Bangladesh, Mohammad Noor-E-Alam Siddiqui, joint secretary, PS to minister of LGRDC, Salahuddin Ahmed, Business Pursuit Lead, VSO Bangladesh, Partha Hefaz Shaikh, Director – Policy and Advocacy, WaterAid Bangladesh attended the event. Helal Uddin Ahmed, senior secretary, Local Government Division, chaired the event.

Representatives from the government bodies and NGOs, civil society organisations, vounteer involving organisations, volunteers, youth, and other stakeholders joined the event.